Machine for continuously washing open vials

ABSTRACT

A machine for washing open vials an inclined conveyor for feeding vials to an endless indexing conveyor, the vials being received on the indexing conveyor in an inverted position. The indexing conveyor moves the vials, in rows to a washing station where wash fluid, for example water, steam or compressed air is injected into each vial by an upstanding needle. After washing the vials are moved to a discharge station where they are inclined with their closed ends downwardly.

United States Patent Cioni et al. 1 Dec. 2, 1975 15 MACHINE FOR CONTINUOUSLY WASHING 2,604,896 7/1952 Cozzoli 134/152 x OPEN VIALS 2,826,207 3/1958 Krupp ct a1. i. 134/62 3,421,840 l/l969 Pechmann 15/304 X [76] Inventors: Elisabetta Cioni; Lucia Cioni;

Rovena Anichini, widow Cioni, all of FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 22, Via di Marciano, Siena, Italy, 356,530 9/1931 United Kingdom... 134/72 531Q() 601,794 3/1926 France 134/72 [22] Flled: 1974 Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby [21] Appl. No.: 449,443 Assistant Examiner-C. K. Moore Attorney, Agent, or FirmMcGlew and Tuttle [30] Foreign Application Priority Data R C' Mar. 12, 1973 Italy 9374/73 [57] ABST A T A machine for washing opcn vials an inclined con- 521 US. Cl 15/302; 15/304; 15/306 13; veyor for feeding vials to an endless indexing 134/43; 134/62; 134/72; 134/ 7 134 1 veyor, the vials being received on the indexing con- 51 Int. c1. B67C l/06 veyor in an inverted position The indexing conveyor 58 Field of Search 15/302, 304, 306 B; moves the vials, in rows to a washing station where 134/43, 62, 72, 63, 152, 171 D[(] 1; 19 /22 Wash fluid, for example water, steam or compressed 1, 24 air is injected into each vial by an upstanding needle.

After washing the vials are moved to a discharge sta- [56] References Cited tion where they are inclined with their closed ends UNITED STATES PATENTS downwardly- 2,431,988 12/1947 Cozzoli 134/72 X 7 Cl ims, 8 Drawing Figures Patent Dec. 2, 1975 Sheet 1 of 5 US. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 Sheet 2 of5 3,922,750

NW N\ \N WSW U.S. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 Sheet 3 of5 3,922,750

US. Patent DEC. 2, 1975 Sheet4 0f5 3,922,750

U.S. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 Sheet 5 of5 3,922,750

Fig.8

MACHINE FOR CONTINUOUSLY WASHING OPEN VIALS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a machine for continuously washing open vials.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided in a vial washing machine means for feeding individual vials down an inclined path with the openings of the vials directed downwardly, an endless indexing conveyor including means defining a plurality of rows of spaced seats each seat being capable of receiving from the feed means one said vial with the opening thereof facing downwardly, an assembly of upwardly-directed hollow needles complementary to the downwardlydirected vials when stationary at a station to which they have been carried by the indexing conveyor, means for raising the needles so that they penetrate into the vials to effect the required washing when the vials are stationary, and means for discharging the washed vials along an are which inclines the vials so that they slide from said seats.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of a vial washing machine in accordance with the invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing a vial washing machine in accordance with the invention in outline only;

FIG. 2 is a plan view, to an enlarged scale, of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view, to an enlarged scale, of a feed device, the view being taken from the opposite side of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a detail of a seat for a vial in an endless conveyor of the machine respectively, in longitudinal section and in cross-section on line V-V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows, to an enlarged scale, a side view opposite to that of FIG. 1, to show the sequence of operational stations and a collection device for washed vials;

FIG. 7 is a local section on the line VIIVII of FIG. 6 showing needles of a washing station and a single seat for a vial at this station; and

FIG. 8 is a diagram of fluid-operated control circuits of the machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings a reservoir 1 contains vials to be fed by an endless conveyor 3 to the washing machine. The endless conveyor 3 includes two endless notched or toothed belts 7 in engagement with two rotors 9 and 10. The rotors 9 and 10 are carried by respective shafts 12 and 14 and, at least the shaft 12 is intermittent by indexed drive means including a pulley 16. This pulley drives a reduction gear 18 which in turn drives an output shaft 19 fast with a wheel 20 supporting a pin 20A for the actuation of a Maltese cross wheel 21. The wheel 21 drives the shaft 12 through gear wheel 22. If desired drive from the shaft 12 can be transmitted in the shaft 14 so that the latter also acts as a drive shaft.

The two belts 7, preferably extendable, are connected with each other by transverse bars 24. Each of said transverse bars carries a set of spaced members 26 which constitute seats for inverted vials. The members 26 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) each have a cavity and thus form a seat to accommodate a single vial. At the lower end 26A, each member 26 is tapered internally to a lower orifice 268. The members 26 are orientated with the seat open upwardly when they are located along the upper run of the conveyor 3, in order to carry the vials with the opening facing downwardly.

The reservoir 1 of the vials to be fed to the washing machine, has a surface 1A inclined downwardly and towards the feed device of the machine. This surface 1A is, in practice, outlined by a set of fixed rods 18 and by a set of cyclically-movable rods 1C. The rods 1C are driven by an eccentric shaft 28, which actuates on one side through eccentrics, the rods 1C and on the other side, through a crank or connecting rod 30, which oscillates around a shaft 32 a unit with leaf springs 34, which drive the lower ends of the rods 1C.

The vials are guided in regular longitudinal rows, by movable blades 36 which are carried by two slides 37, reciprocated (and offset in opposition between contiguous blades) by rockers 38 pivoted at 40 and actuated by a lever arm 42, operated in turn by a star cam 44. This cam, as other cams to be described hereinafter, is assembled on the shaft 19 which rotates continuously and carries the Maltese cross wheel 20. An additional cam on the shaft 19 co-operates with a tappet 47 on a lever 49, pivoted at 51 and arranged to operate a slide 53. This slide runs on guides 55 parallel to the longitudinal axes of the vials fed by the blades 36. Expelling members 57 which correspond to the channels defined between the blades 36 and which correspond to the first vials of the row in the same channels, are rigid with the slide 53. The expelling members 57 are intended periodically to raise the vials arranged on a front line whereby to forward them (as shown for the vial indi cated by F1) along channels or tracks 59 defined by a bottom and by spaced flanks in relation to the vial dimension, the channels 59 being arcuate so that the vials, raised with a slightly inclined arrangement with respect to the vertical, are inclined progressively as they pass through the position F1 and to the position F2 to then slide downwardly to be introduced into a corresponding one of the seats of the member located at the position 26M (see FIGS. 2 and 3). This seat is inclined as the member 26M is located along the arc of the conveyor 3 lying around the drive rotors 9. For each intermittent advance of the conveyor 3, a subsequent row of seats 26 is presented in the position 26M and corresponding vials are raised and discharged by the expelling members 57.

The members 26 forming the seats, are subsequently indexed by motion of the conveyor 3, in a plurality of operational stations, eight, as shown. At each station, a row of needles in provided, each with a mumber of needles corresponding to the number of seats for vials carried by each transverse bar 24. In practice, manifolds 61 extending parallel to the transverse bars 24 are supported by a structure 63 rigid with a slide 65, which is slidable on a vertical guide column 67. The slide 65 and thus the assembly of manifolds 61 is reciprocated by a rocker 69, driven by a cam 71 fast with shaft 19. The manifolds 61 are thus moved from a spaced position to an adjacent position below the transverse bars 24 and the seats 26. The manifolds 61 are supplied from fittings 73 with the operational fluids and each supplies a row of the needles 75. The needles 75 are aligned with the openings 26B of the seats formed by the members 26 and are located every time in the operational positions. Thus, the raising and lowering of the manifolds 61 effects the insertion and removal of the needles in the seats for the vials, through the orifices 268. When the needles are in the raised position, they penetrate into the inverted vials at position F and effect the internal washing operation.

If a needle A of the first row of needles of the first transverse bar 61A, instead of being inserted into a vial, interferes with the latter, either because the vial is in an irregular position or because it is inverted with the opening upwardly, the needle 75A raises the vial. This is detected by sensing blade 81 (see FIG. 6) which is pivoted at 83 and is arranged to trigger a signal, for example an electric signal, by action on a switch 85, to stop the machine, or to signal the irregularity.

Above the seats formed by the members 26 in the further seven operational positions where the rows of needles 75 are located, a structure 87 is provided which prevents the raising and the removal of the vials in the position F5 in the operational stations, even if the jets of the washing fluids fed through the needles 75 are relatively violent.

Flexible conduits connected to filters 91, 92, 93, 94 and 95, are also connected to the fittings 73. The filters 91, 92, 93 supply hot water to three stations, the hot water being supplied by a pump 97. Cold water is supplied to two operational stations from the filter 94, the water being supplied by a pump 98. The filter 95 supplies pressurized air to three stations, the air being supplied by a unit 100, 102, formed by a compressor of the dry type, operating without lubrication, and by a compressed air reservoir, or from an external source, and being controlled by a valve 103. A branch of the air duct is controlled by a valve 107, to supply a cylinder-piston unit 109, for the hereinafter described purposes. Contacts and 112 are operated similarly to the valves 103 and 107 by a cam unit 114, again fast with the shaft 19. The contacts 110, 112 serve to control the rapid feed of the hot and cold water to the needles.

The machine can be arranged to effect washing in different sequences, for example first with hot water, then with air, then with cold water and then again with air. Steam, or distilled water can be used as alternative wash fluids.

In FIG. 1, a hot water reservoir is heated by an electrical resistance controlled by a thermostat and by a level control member.

It may be desirable to equip the machine to dry the inside of the vials before the members 26 forming the vial seats reach the drive rotors 10.

In FIG. 6 the discharge system for the vials is shown, and includes a surface 118 on which the vials must slide arranged side-by-side, ready for collection in a reception container. Channels 120 which correspond to the downwardly-inclined seats 26Y to facilitate discharge of the vials within the channels 120, oscillatory wall members 122 move around an axis 124 and are operated (directly or by resilient means permitting yielding for safety reasons) by a lever 126 and by a rod 128. This rod 128 is actuated in turn by a rocker 130 actuated by a cam 132, synchronized with other motions of the machine to effect oscillation of the wall members 122. A fixed sliding wall 132 which may be integral with the wall members 122, receives the vials falling from the seats 26Y, these vials being presented as indicated at FY so as to extend along the wall members 122, and finally to reach the shaped bottom of the channel 120.

The wall member 122, moving from the position shown in FIG. 6 as indicated by the arrow f5, carries the vials on each movement into an upright position whereby they are placed side-by-side as indicated at FZ. The upright vials are advanced along the plane l 18, where the container for the collection can be located.

The members 26 located in the position 26Y wherein the vials fall from the seats, may be subjected to vibration or a series of impacts by means of an oscillating hammer 136, which striking the seats, causes the removal of any pieces of glass which may be contained in the seats at the position 26Y. The hammer 136 may be operated by the unit 109.

We claim:

1. In a vial washing machine, means for feeding individual vials down an inclined path with the openings of the vials directed downwardly, an endless indexing conveyor including means defining a plurality of rows of spaced seats, each seat being being capable of receiving from the feed means one said vial with the opening thereof facing downwardly, an assembly of upwardlydirected hollow needles complementary to the downwardly-directed vials when stationary at a station to which they have been carried by the indexing conveyor. means for raising the needles so that they penetrate into the vials to effect the required washing when the vials are stationary, and means for discharging, the washed vials along an are which inclines the vials so that they slide from said seats, and means for vibrating said seats at the position at which they are in said are of the discharge means.

2. In a vial washing machine, means for feeding individual vials down an inclined path with the openings of the vials directed downwardly, an endless indexing conveyor including means defining a plurality of rows of spaced seats, each seat being capable of receiving from the feed means one said vial with the opening thereof facing downwardly, an assembly of upwardly-directed hollow needles complementary to the downwardlydirected vials when stationary at a station to which they have been carried by the indexing conveyor, means for raising the needles so that they penetrate into the vials to effect the required washing when the vials are stationary, and means for discharging the washed vials along an arc which inclines the vials so that they slide from said seats, said feed device comprising slide channels for arranging the vials in side-by-side configuration. and means for raising said vials in said channels, said channels defining an arcuate track which extends upwardly and then downwardly toward said seats in the path of said vials, to cause said vials to be tilted as they are raised over the arcuate track to introduce the vials into the seats at a reception station. I

3. A machine according to claim 3, including means at said station to hold the vials on their seats during washing and means for sensing irregular positioning of the vials.

rality of washing stations, said stations including means at one sation for introducing steam to the vials.

7. A machine according to claim 2 comprising a plurality of washing stations, said stations including means at one station for introducing compressed air to the vi- 'als. 

1. In a vial washing machine, means for feeding individual vials down an inclined path with the openings of the vials directed downwardly, an endless indexing conveyor including means defining a plurality of rows of spaced seats, each seat being being capable of receiving from the feed means one said vial with the opening thereof facing downwardly, an assembly of upwardly-directed hollow needles complementary to the downwardly-directed vials when stationary at a station to which they have been carried by the indexing conveyor, means for raising the needles so that they penetrate into the vials to effect the required washing when the vials are stationary, and means for discharging the washed vials along an arc which inclines the vials so that they slide from said seats, and means for vibrating said seats at the position at which they are in said arc of the discharge means.
 2. In a vial washing machine, means for feeding individual vials down an inclined path with the openings of the vials directed downwardly, an endless indexing conveyor including means defining a plurality of rows of spaced seats, each seat being capable of receiving from the feed means one said vial with the opening thereof facing downwardly, an assembly of upwardly-directed hollow needles complementary to the downwardly-directed vials when stationary at a station to which they have been carried by the indexing conveyor, means for raising the needles so that they penetrate into the vials to effect the required washing when the vials are stationary, and means for discharging the washed vials along an arc which inclines the vials so that they slide from said seats, said feed device comprising slide channels for arranging the vials in side-by-side configuration, and means for raising said vials in said channels, said channels defining an arcuate track which extends upwardly and then downwardly toward said seats in the path of said vials, to cause said vials to be tilted as they are raised over the arcuate track to introduce the vials into the seats at a reception station.
 3. A machine according to claim 3, including means at said station to hold the vials on their seats during washing and means for sensing irregular positioning of the vials.
 4. A machine according to claim 2 comprising a plurality of washing stations, said stations including means at one station for introducing hot water to the vials.
 5. A machine according to claim 2 comprising a plurality of washing stations, said stations including means at one station for introducing cold water to the vials.
 6. A machine according to claim 2 comprising a plurality of washing stations, said stations including means at one sation for introducing steam to the vials.
 7. A machine according to claim 2 comprising a plurality of washing stations, said stations including means at one station for introducing compressed air to the vials. 